RU2776085C1 - Unmanned aerial vehicle for monitoring the surface of the earth - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: unmanned aerial vehicles.

SUBSTANCE: unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a body in the form of a platform with an airtight elastic shell and a valve, as well as equipped with folding wings, made in a certain way. Inside the platform contains a control system, a GLONASS satellite navigation system, a transceiver, a battery, and outside it is attached to a removable cylinder filled with gas under pressure and connected to the shell through a valve, as well as an optical and infrared camera in its lower part, protected by polymer arcs.

EFFECT: increased maneuverability and controllability of the unmanned aerial vehicle, increased time spent in the air, and ease of transportation.

1 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of aviation, in particular to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and can be used in the development of UAV designs used in monitoring the earth and water surface, reconnaissance, search, in emergency situations to ensure effective control and obtain operational information.

An unmanned combined aerial vehicle is known (patent RU 2485018, 2013), made in the form of a flying wing, the body is made of a multi-sectional set of stringers fixed on a rigid carbon fiber base, covered with a thin film on a fabric basis, representing a silicon solar battery, inside the body is divided on sealed compartments filled with lifting gas (helium, etc.) and non-pressurized compartments with an air intake in the bow, in the middle thermal elements for heating air and a nozzle in the rear.

The disadvantage of this device is the limited possibilities of vertical takeoff and landing, leading to the consumption of electricity for takeoff, occupation and maintenance of a given flight altitude due to the operation of electric motors.

An aeronautic vehicle is also known (patent RU 2652373, 2018), including a multicopter, a gondola, an automated control system, a battery compartment, cargo container grips, an orientation and tracking system, in front of the ellipsoidal gondola there is a capsule with a viewing dome and a parachute system, which is designed for finding and rescuing in case of an accident control devices, crew and passengers, multicopter recorders, in the middle part of the device on the gondola body there is a solar battery, and in the tail part of the device there are two windmills with vortex converters, turbines and electric generators, a battery compartment is located between the windmills, under the gondola is the base plate with the grips of the cargo container, and on the frame of the multicopter are fixed devices for space navigation and orientation on the ground.

The disadvantage of this device is the complexity of the design, long deployment time on their own and large dimensions.

The closest in technical essence to the claimed invention is an aeronautic vehicle (patent RU 2642210, 2018), containing a multicopter with four electric motors and two turbo motors, a supporting truss, gas chambers, a solar battery panel, observation, orientation, communication and automatic control systems, made in a rigid aerodynamic body of an ellipsoidal shape and consisting of a supporting truss with consoles, at the ends of which four electric motors with a variable thrust vector are suspended, on the said truss there are two gondolas, consisting of rigid hulls and gas chambers with constant and variable volume, under the mentioned truss there is gas cushion, and in front of said truss there is a monowing, from the bottom of which two turboprop engines are suspended, in the rear part of said truss there are stabilization devices, consisting of rudders, ailerons and flaps, connected by means of an automated control system with elements of change increasing the volume of the gas chambers, which increases the stability and controllability of the apparatus as a whole.

The disadvantage of this device is the complexity of the design, the impossibility of compact storage and delivery to the area of use using other vehicles and aircraft, the use of both electric motors and gas chambers with lifting gas for vertical flight, the use of a separate rigid body and a solar battery increases the mass of the structure and reduces a lot of payload, a complex, saturated with instruments and energy-consuming control and communication system.

The objective of the invention is to create an aircraft with the possibility of compact storage and transportation by other vehicles, including air carriers in a folded, compact state, brought into position for a short time, having the ability to select a height, having maneuverability and controllability in flight, the possibility of a long stay in the air due to the replenishment of energy resources in flight, the ability to collect and transmit information, which has high reliability, low weight and low cost.

The required technical result is achieved by the fact that the unmanned aerial vehicle for monitoring the earth's surface contains a body, which is a platform with an airtight elastic shell with an etching valve, inside which are located: a control system, including an information and control module; block of satellite navigation system GLONASS; transceiver; accumulator battery. The platform is equipped with wings on both sides, with a solar battery applied to their surface, the wings can be folded at the point of attachment to the platform, and are fixed in the folded and open position, they have cutouts in which air-propeller electric motors are placed. A removable cylinder is attached to the platform, filled with lifting gas under pressure, through a valve connected to the shell, in the lower part of the platform there is an optical and infrared camera, protected by polymer arcs.

The platform is made of a lightweight and durable composite material and is a frame on which all UAV components are mounted, including wings made of the same material. They are wide plates on which solar panels are applied, cutouts are made in the wings to accommodate air-propeller electric motors, the screws of which are covered with a protective casing. At both ends of the wing there are clamps: the first ones are located near the platform and fix the wing in the open state, the second ones hold the wings in the folded state. The second latches are triggered by increasing the opening force.

On top of the platform there is a control system, which includes: an information and control module, a GLONASS satellite navigation system unit, a radio station, and a battery. All these devices are inside a radio-transparent, airtight elastic shell, which, when the unmanned aerial vehicle for monitoring the surface of the earth is brought into operation, is filled with lifting gas. In the working position, an air-tight elastic shell occupies the space above the platform, on which an evacuation valve is located in the upper part to bleed the carrier gas during landing. The lower part of the platform is equipped with an optical and infrared camera and polymer arcs that protect the camera optics from damage during landing.

The essence of the invention is illustrated by the drawing, where in Fig. 1 and FIG. 2 shows an unmanned aerial vehicle for monitoring the surface of the earth, folded for transport and in working condition, where:

1 - air-screw electric motor;

2 - cutout in the wing;

3 - wing;

4 - airtight elastic shell;

5 - removable cylinder;

6 - valve;

7 - platform;

8 - optical and infrared range camera;

9 - polymer arcs.

10 - protective cover;

11 - etching valve.

On FIG. 3 shows a diagram of power supply, control, collection and transmission of information to the control point, where:

12 - battery;

13 - solar battery;

14 - transceiver;

15 - information and control module;

16 - block of the GLONASS satellite navigation system.

The invention works as follows: An unmanned aerial vehicle for monitoring the earth's surface is put into operation and launched due to the lifting gas at the base and using the available propeller motors (1) located in the cutouts of the wings (2) according to the commands of the control point, it can follow in observation area. It can be transported in a folded state using various vehicles, both automobile, sea and air. After delivery to the launch site, in accordance with the task, a removable cylinder (5) is selected, filled with lifting gas under pressure in the volume necessary to lift the unmanned aerial vehicle to control the earth's surface with an installed control system and an optical and infrared camera (8) to a height optimal observation. The removable cylinder (5) is attached to the platform (7) through a valve (6) connected to the shell and is activated automatically (for use from air carriers) at the command of the control station or in manual mode by opening the valve (6).

The airtight elastic shell (4) is filled with lifting gas and opens the latches holding the wings (3) in the folded state, they open and lock in the open position. Depending on the incoming volume of lifting gas, the UAV occupies a given height.

Solar battery (13) and storage battery (12) provide consumers with electricity. An unmanned aerial vehicle for monitoring the earth's surface comes under the control of the control point, the information and control module receives commands through the transceiver device (14), periodically collects information about the location coordinates from the GLONASS satellite navigation system unit (16) and transmits them to the control point, which calculates optimal route and traffic characteristics. The speed control and course change is carried out by changing the power of the air-screw electric motors (1). After arriving in the area of observation, the UAV is kept over the objects of observation. The information-control module with the resolution set by the control point takes pictures of the surface with the help of an optical and infrared range camera (8) and transmits it to the control point through a transceiver (14). The control point sets various options for the frequency of determining the location and surveying the surface based on the need and the supply of electricity on the UAV.

In the future, with the help of the computing facilities at the disposal of the control point, the received information is processed, the images are overlaid to form an accurate portrait of the area and control the movement of objects in the observation area.

An unmanned aerial vehicle for monitoring the earth's surface due to the available propeller motors (1) after completing the task returns to its home base. At the landing point, the information and control module generates a command to open the release valve (11), the lifting gas is released and the vehicle lands.

The unmanned aerial vehicle for monitoring the surface of the earth will find application in various fields of activity, providing the performance of various tasks, for example, control over forest areas in order to prevent fires and extinguish fires, control agricultural land, control the condition of pipelines and hard-to-reach areas, control traffic in populated areas. points and beyond, environmental and other types of intelligence.

Claims (1)

An unmanned aerial vehicle for monitoring the earth's surface, containing a body, electric motors, solar panels, surveillance, communication and automatic control systems, characterized in that the body is a platform with an airtight elastic shell with an etching valve, inside which are located: a control system, including an information and control module, a GLONASS satellite navigation system unit, a transceiver, a battery, the platform is equipped with wings that can be folded at the attachment point and are fixed in the folded and open position, solar panels are placed on the wings and there are cutouts in which air-screw electric motors, a removable cylinder is attached to the platform, filled with lifting gas under pressure, through a valve connected to the shell, in the lower part of the platform there is an optical and infrared camera, protected by polymer arcs.

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